Philadelphia Daily Clips December 7, 2011

FLYERS Headlines

1. Philadelphia Inquirer- Flyers have a special player in Claude Giroux 2. Philadelphia Inquirer- Flyers try to continue road success vs. Miller 3. Philadelphia Inquirer- Flyers chairman Ed Snider sees more positives than negatives in NHL realignment 4. Philadelphia Daily News- Flyers' Simmonds aims to keep shooting 5. Philadelphia Daily News- JVR back; Who sits? 6. CSNPhilly.com- Flyers react to NHL's new realignment 7. CSNPhilly.com- Flyers not looking past Sabres to Pens 8. CSNPhilly.com- What to like (and dislike) about realignment 9. CSNPhilly.com- Tonight's game notes: Flyers at Sabres 10. Delaware County Times- PARENT: Realignment means Flyers may see early springs 11. Delaware County Times- Talbot can look forward to revisiting past 12. Bucks County Courier-Times- Flyers OK with new NHL alignment 13. Camden Courier-Post- Flyers give thumbs up to new NHL realignment 14. Philly Sports Daily- Flyers React To NHL Realignment 15. Philly Sports Daily- Schenn, Meszaros, Briere Return To Practice 16. Philly Sports Daily- Focus Is On Miller As Flyers Face Buffalo 17. Philadelphia Flyers- Playing with the Hypotheticals Buffalo Sabres Headlines (FLYERS Next Opponent)

1. Bufallo News- Sabres seeking answers to home woes 2. Buffalo News- Tootoo gets 2 game suspension for running Miller Adirondack Phantoms Headlines

1. Glen Falls Post Star- Phantoms let another one slip away NHL Headlines

1. NHL.com- Booth, Luongo leave game vs. Avalanche 2. NHL.com- Roenick: Nugent-Hopkins clicking, Ovechkin missing 3. NHL.com- Islanders improved, but still have a long way to go 4. NHL.com- Rivalries, balanced schedule among high points 5. NHL.com- Bettman discusses fighting, CTE in remarks at BOG 6. NHL.com- Tootoo gets two-game suspension for charge 7. NHL.com- ASG voting: Fans of Canadian teams showing support 8. NHL.com- Ottawa's Karlsson rocking stat sheet and ASG vote 9. TSN.ca- Report: Fleury's lost Stanley Cup ring posted on Craigslist 10. TSN.ca- Predators' Tootoo suspended two games for hit on Miller 11. TSN.ca- Fraser: The players that had me watching in awe 12. ESPN.com- Bettman steers NHL to 'seismic' change Flyers Articles

1. Philadelphia Inquirer- Flyers have a special player in Claude Giroux

Sam Carchidi

"This year, he's really spread his wings." — Flyers coach Peter Laviolette, on Claude Giroux Flyers center Claude Giroux has spread his wings, all right. Spread them from Anaheim to South Florida and all stops in between. One year after a breakout season in which he earned his first all-star spot, the 23-year-old Giroux is a legitimate MVP candidate. The award has been won by just two Flyers - Bobby Clarke (three times) and Eric Lindros in 1994-95. And with the Pittsburgh Penguins coming into the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday night, it's not a stretch to wonder if the game will match two of the NHL's best players: the incomparable Sidney Crosby and the fast-rising Giroux. Flyers forward Max Talbot has played with Crosby, the 2006-07 winner of the Hart Trophy as the league's MVP, and Giroux. Is it too early put Giroux at Crosby's level? "No, he's been the best in the league since the beginning of the year," Talbot said the other day. Like Crosby, who is generally regarded as being to the NHL what George Clooney is to the movie industry, Giroux excels at both ends of the ice. "The way they battle and play with passion is something I can see in their eyes," Talbot said. "They definitely have the [same] intensity. Defensively, they battle." "There are similarities" between Crosby and Giroux, said former Flyer Bill Barber, a Hall of Famer who is now a scouting consultant with the club. "Sid is a phenomenal player. I know for a fact that he works harder than all of the other players in practice - and he has a [Stanley Cup] ring to prove it." Barber said Crosby, 24, and Giroux "both have great vision" and can see things on the ice that most players can't. "And you can see how much they both just enjoy playing the game." Barber, a left winger who scored 420 goals in his career and later coached the Flyers for 11/2 seasons, said Giroux is uncanny with the accuracy of his shot and the way he sets up a teammate. "He sees openings that other players don't," he said. "If there's any winger that doesn't want to play with Claude, there's something wrong with him."

On pace for 105 points Heading into Tuesday, Giroux had 15 goals and 17 assists in 25 games and was tied for second in the NHL with 32 points. He is on pace for 49 goals and 105 points. That's a lot of "Gi-rewwwwwwwww"; chants at the Wells Fargo Center. "He's a very rare player in that he scores a lot of goals as a centerman," Barber said. "Usually, the scorers are on the wings, and the centers feed them. But he's a very unique player. Give the Flyers credit for seeing that and drafting him when they did." Giroux's projected scoring totals would be eye-popping when you consider that in the Flyers' history, just five players have reached 100 points in a season: Bobby Clarke (three times), Rick MacLeish, Barber, Mark Recchi (twice), and Eric Lindros. Six Flyers have reached 50 goals: MacLeish, Reggie Leach (twice), Barber, Tim Kerr (four times), Recchi, and John LeClair (three times). The six Flyers who reached 50 goals did it a combined 12 times. Eleven of the times it was done by wingers. MacLeish was the only center. Giroux, whose shot release appears much quicker this season, is among the league leaders with a 20 percent shooting percentage, connecting on 15 of his 75 shots. He is a threat to become the first Flyer to ever win the Art Ross Trophy as the league's top point scorer. "It's a great honor to be up there, but it's not just me out there; it's Jags and Hartsy," he said, referring to linemates Jaromir Jagr and Scott Hartnell. "When you play with two good players, obviously you're going to get the puck a lot in the slot, and I think it's important that you're ready for it. Jags talks to me a lot about that." Now in his fourth NHL season, Giroux plays in all situations - even-strength, power play, penalty kill - and he leads Flyers forwards in average time on ice at nearly 22 minutes per game. Twenty-two hard minutes. "What really impresses me about Claude is that he fights for everything out there," Laviolette said. "I don't know if it's mean or not, but it has been consistent all year. Right now he is fighting for every piece of ice he can get, every puck battle." 'G' as in 'goal'

A year ago, Giroux had a coming-of-age season. He finished with 25 goals - but just nine in his last 39 games - and a team-high 76 points. His point and goal totals rose in each of his first three seasons. And to think that when the Flyers selected him in the first round (22d overall) in the 2006 draft, then-general manager Bobby Clarke momentarily forgot his name as he stood at the podium. "It didn't bother me," said Giroux, who had three straight seasons of 100-plus points when he played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. "I actually thought it was pretty funny. Most of his teammates call him, simply, "G." As in goal. Jagr, one of his linemates, calls him "Little Mario Lemieux" and says he never thought he would get to play with a player of Giroux's caliber at this stage of his career. But some still get stumped by his name. On Saturday night in Glendale, Ariz., after Giroux scored another breathtaking goal, a Phoenix reporter was asking Flyers center Danny Briere about his shifty teammate, wanting to know his opinion of "Ger-rucks," rhyming it with shucks. Giroux shrugs it off and smiles. He is quiet and soft-spoken - he despises public speaking - but has a sharp wit ("I guess 39 is the new 20," he said about Jagr) and a playful personality. Witness when he dyed his mustache black last month, which didn't exactly match his strawberry-blonde hair - and made him look like he belonged in a Saturday Night Live skit. On the ice, however, he is all business. "It shouldn't surprise anybody that he is where he is," Laviolette said. "He's skilled and talented, but I really think his success comes from the fact he is a tremendous competitor. . . . The way he competes makes him special." Special enough to be mentioned with a hockey icon like Crosby. Special enough that the Philadelphia Sportswriters Association will honor him as Philly's pro athlete of the year at its 108th annual banquet on Jan. 30 in Cherry Hill. Special enough that most hockey followers not only know his name, but say it with deep admiration. 2. Philadelphia Inquirer- Flyers try to continue road success vs. Miller

Sam Carchidi

BUFFALO _ The Flyers, the kings of the road, play in Buffalo Wednesday tonight and try to continue their success away from the Wells Fargo Center. The Flyers have an NHL-best 9-3-1 road record, including a 3-2 win in Buffalo on Nov. 2. In that game, the Flyers scored three goals in the first 6:23 and chased goalie Ryan Miller. It was the second-shortest appearance of his stellar career. Miller missed nine games because of a concussion before returning and leading the Sabres to a 3-2 win in Nashville on Saturday. In his last nine home starts vs. the Flyers, Miller is 2-6-1 with a 3.15 GAA. Go figure. Flyers coach Peter Laviolette is expected to give backup goalie Sergei Bobrovsky the start, and then use Ilya Bryzgalov Thursday against visiting Pittsburgh and Sidney Crosby. Bryzgalov started back-to-back games over the weekend, beating Anaheim (4-3 in overtime) and Phoenix (4-2). With winger James van Riemsdyk returning to the lineup after a four-game absence because of an injury, the Flyers' lines are expected to look like this on Wednesday: * Giroux centering Hartnell and Jagr. * Briere centering JVR and Simmonds. * Schenn centering Read and Voracek. * Couturier centering Talbot and Rinaldo. * * * The Flyers are in the early stages of a stretch in which they play 11 of 14 games on the road. After hosting Tampa Bay on Saturday afternoon, they play seven of their next eight on the road. 3. Philadelphia Inquirer- Flyers chairman Ed Snider sees more positives than

negatives in NHL realignment

Sam Carchidi

Most of the Flyers had a wait-and-see attitude about the NHL's realignment that will take place next season.

But club chairman Ed Snider, in a phone conversation from California on Tuesday, said there will be more positives than negatives in the format. On Monday, the NHL's board of governors voted, 26-4, in favor of the new setup; the Flyers were one of the 26, Snider said. The Flyers will be in a still-to-be-named seven-team conference with Pittsburgh, the Islanders, the Rangers, Washington, New Jersey, and Carolina. They will face each conference team six times, and play a home-and-home series with the league's other 23 teams. "We liked what we had," Snider said of the current setup, "but it hurt a lot of other clubs." He said teams like the Flyers "sacrificed" - they will have to travel more - and went with the new format for the overall good of the league. Now teams in the West and Midwest will do less traveling and play a lot more games in their own time zones. "It's not perfect, but it helps a lot of clubs," said Snider, who will be inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday in Chicago. "And I think the fact you'll now play everybody in the league made a major difference" to voters. Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov learned about the realignment from reporters after Tuesday's practice in Voorhees. He wasn't exactly thrilled with the plan. "You know what, man? That's much more travel," he said. "Damn, man." Center Danny Briere said the realignment had "some good parts and some bad parts, and there are some parts that are not as fun." Briere, a French Canadian, was disappointed the Flyers will make only one trip to Montreal and to the city where he used to play, Buffalo, starting next season. "It is what it is," he said. "Everybody knew they had to change something, so that's probably the best they could do to make as many people as they could happy." "It's going to be different, but it's going to be good," forward Max Talbot said. "I'm glad we were able to keep most of the same rivalries. It's going to be a little bit more traveling for the Eastern Conference teams, a little bit less for the Western." The best part, Talbot said, is that fans get to see every team at least once. Fans out West are assured of seeing Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Claude Giroux, and Steven Stamkos, et al. Adding Washington to the Flyers' mix "makes it tough, but makes it interesting," Talbot said.

The top four teams in each of the four conferences will make the playoffs. The first two rounds will be within the conference, meaning the Flyers might have to play Pittsburgh and Washington in the first two rounds. The Rangers could also be in the mix. "Any time you play a team in the playoffs, it seems to breed bad blood," defenseman Braydon Coburn said. "It just seems like in that kind of format, you'll end up maybe playing some people in consecutive years in the playoffs." In other words, the bad blood will intensify. Some teams may be fortunate to be playing in a weak division, Briere said. "But sometimes playing against the best teams is a good thing. We'll see how it shakes out." Breakaways. The Flyers will play in Buffalo Wednesday; they defeated the Sabres there on Nov. 2, 3-2, as they scored three goals - netted by Sean Couturier, James van Riemsdyk, and Scott Hartnell - in the first 6 minutes, 23 seconds and chased goalie Ryan Miller. . . . Van Riemsdyk, who has missed the last four games with an upper-body injury, has been given clearance to play, general manager Paul Holmgren said. That means winger Harry Zolnierczyk will probably be a healthy scratch. . . . Buffalo defenseman T.J. Brennan, the pride of Moorestown, was sent to AHL Rochester last week. He scored a goal in his NHL debut on Nov. 24 during a 4-3 shootout loss to Boston.

4. Philadelphia Daily News- Flyers' Simmonds aims to keep shooting

Frank Seravalli

BUFFALO - Walking out of the Honda Center last Friday night in Anaheim, coach Peter Laviolette pulled aside Wayne Simmonds before they made it to the team bus. That night, back on the West Coast for the first time since last June's trade from Los Angeles to the Flyers, Simmonds had just completed his seventh straight game without a point. The message from Laviolette was simple: Don't sweat it. "I really liked his game," Laviolette explained. "He was working hard, he was skating hard, he was physical and he had some chances to score. I told him, 'Don't get frustrated,' because when you play like that, the results will come. "Don't get frustrated because you feel like you aren't playing well and you're not contributing." Less than 24 hours later in Phoenix, Simmonds followed up with his first goal in nearly 3 weeks.

Danny Briere's snap shot from the high slot bounced off the heavily taped knob of Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith's stick, off Simmonds' chest, and he was able to whack it out of midair and into the net. Nearly a quarter of a season's worth of pent-up frustration went into that baseball-style swat. "It obviously felt good, I hadn't scored in a while," Simmonds said. "The chances had been there but I hadn't been able to put them in. "A lot of times, it's been a half- inch here or a half-inch there that has been the difference. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to take advantage of my opportunities." This past weekend marked a mini coming-out party for Simmonds, who probably could be regarded as the Flyers' biggest early-season disappointment. With five goals and four assists through 25 games, Simmonds has been outscored by three defensemen (Chris Pronger, Kimmo Timonen and Matt Carle), a rookie (Matt Read), and a career fourth line center (Max Talbot). The bad news is that Simmonds, 23, is on pace to match last year's point total with the Kings. He went through the month of November collecting just three points in 12 games. It would be the second straight season he has not shown an improvement in points. The good news is that his stat likely will change in a hurry, especially if Simmonds continues to play as he did last weekend, when he strung together his two best games since early October. Laviolette acknowledged that Simmonds is at his best when he is physical. On the quick, two-game trip to Anaheim and Phoenix, Simmonds plugged together his second-highest ice-time total of the season in one game and his highest shot total of the season in the other. Overall, Simmonds posted six shots, two hits, three takeaways and one blocked shot in the two games. The reason for hope is Simmonds continues to be paired with top players, proof that Laviolette's belief in him has not wavered despite his lack of production. He has spent much of the season on the second line with Briere and Read, who have combined for 37 points. Many of Simmonds' chances will come on the power play, where he ranks sixth on the team in average power-play time per game, with 3 minutes, 31 seconds. That means Simmonds, acting as the agitator in front of the opposition's goaltender, spends more time on the power play than James van Riemsdyk and Scott Hartnell.

"I've got to start converting on my opportunities," Simmonds said. "The coaches have told me to shoot more, so I'm focusing on that. I've had the chances. I know the success will come." The 'Jagr play'? In the first two games of December, the Flyers' power play (5-for-12, 41 percent) nearly matched its entire goal total from November's 12 games (7-for-56, 12.5 percent). While some believe the power play slumped because it didn't have Pronger quarterbacking the umbrella setup for seven games last month, Jaromir Jagr's absence might have had a bigger impact. Jagr scored two of the Flyers' power-play goals last Friday in Anaheim and helped set up a third in his first game back after missing parts of six with a groin injury. "He thinks the game at a different level offensively," Laviolette said. "Putting him on your power play only makes it better." With the weekend success, the Flyers catapulted from 15th all the way to sixth in the NHL's power-play rankings. But, as Jagr reminded, that could be short-lived. "It's a hot and cold game," Jagr said. "With a bad weekend, you could be back where you were." Slap shots James van Riemsdyk (muscular tear in midsection) appears likely to return to the lineup tonight after missing the last four games . . . Andrej Meszaros returned to practice yesterday . . . Sabres forward Nathan Gerbe is expected back tonight after being stitched below his nose, through his nostrils and back above his upper lip, when he was inadvertently sliced by teammate Paul Gaustad's skate last Friday . . . The Flyers have collected at least one point in each of their last eight games in Buffalo . . . Jaromir Jagr has 97 points in 74 career games against the Sabres.

5. Philadelphia Daily News- JVR back; Who sits?

Frank Seravalli

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- After giving a torn muscle in his midsection nearly two full weeks to heal and another two full practices to test it, Flyers forward James van Riemsdyk appears to be ready to return to the lineup after missing the last 4 games. That is subject to change, of course, pending a trial run in the Flyers’ morning skate at First Niagara Center in Buffalo on Wednesday.

But with van Riemsdyk returning - as the Flyers look to piece together their first full, healthy lineup at forward since Oct. 26 - coach Peter Laviolette will be forced to pull a healthy scratch out of the lineup. According to Laviolette’s on-ice lines in Tuesday’s practice, Harry Zolnierczyk looks to be the likely candidate. In addition to have played nearly 2 minutes more per game more than bruiser Zac Rinaldo this season, Zolnierczyk has a more versatile skill-set that would add pop to the Flyers’ peppy fourth line with Max Talbot and Sean Couturier. Alas, the Flyers are unlikely to go without some sort of physical presence in the lineup. Rinaldo still leads the NHL with 82 penalty minutes this season. Then again, that might not be needed against the Sabres. This is, after all, the same Buffalo team that refused to answer the bell after Milan Lucic ran over star goaltender Ryan Miller on Nov. 12. No melee ensued - much to the chagrin of coach Lindy Ruff - after Lucic hit Miller, which knocked off his mask and concussed him with a hit that kept him out of the lineup until last Saturday. Miller picked up a 3-2 win over Nashville on the road on Saturday. The Flyers pounced on Miller early on Nov. 3, chasing him from the game after they scored 3 goals in the first 6 minutes, 23 seconds. They hung on for the 3-2 win in that game after a helter-skelter third period. Here are the Flyers’ expected lines based on practice: Hartnell — Giroux — Jagr Simmonds — Briere — Read Van Riemsdyk — Schenn — Voracek Talbot — Couturier — Rinaldo Timonen — Coburn Carle — Bourdon Marshall — Meszaros Scratches: Harry Zolnierczyk, Jody Shelley Injury list: Chris Pronger, Andreas Lilja, Erik Gustafsson LIGHTS ON, LEINO? Last time we were in Buffalo, we connected with former Flyer Ville Leino and documented his early-season struggles with the Sabres. It looks like they continued in November, where he collected just 4 points in 13 games last month. Overall, he had just 6 points in his first 24 games. But could Leino be turning the corner? He has 3 points in his last 2 games, finally able to string together his first point streak of the season.

RATINGS UP: According to a release from the NHL, the Flyers’ local television ratings on Comcast SportsNet are up 60 percent compared to last season. That’s actually the league’s fifth-best ratings increase from last season. Nashville (+200%), Carolina (+125%), Florida (+100%) and Tampa Bay (+71%) are all ahead of the Flyers in that category. ALL-STAR UPDATE: Claude Giroux gained more than 47,000 votes over the past 7 days on the 2012 NHL All-Star ballot, but he remained 7th among all forwards for Tuesday’s weekly update. The Flyers have had 3 days off, but Giroux entered Sunday’s action tied for the league lead in points with Toronto’s Phil Kessel, who leads the All-Star voting. Giroux’s linemate, Jaromir Jagr, is just about 46,000 votes behind him. Injured defenseman Chris Pronger (12th) and Kimmo Timonen (13th) have both tumbled a bit in the voting for defensemen. Ilya Bryzgalov remains 7th among goaltenders. This year’s All-Star Game, which would be Giroux’s second in a row, would likely mean a little bit more to him since it will be played in Ottawa, where much of his family and friends now reside after moving from Hearst, Ontario. Giroux also maintains his offseason residence in Gatineau, Quebec, which is just across the river from downtown Ottawa. CYBER MONDAY SUCCESS: So, how much did the Flyers dominate among the NHL.com shop sales with all of the deals on Cyber Monday? Six of the Top 10 items sold were tied to the Flyers, mostly through the Winter Classic. Here’s a list: 1. Reebok Philadelphia Flyers 2012 NHL Winter Classic Reversible Knit Hat 2. CCM 2012 NHL Winter Classic Dueling Event T-shirt 3. Reebok Boston Bruins Premier Home Jersey 4. Reebok Philadelphia Flyers 2012 NHL Winter Classic Premier Jersey 5. HBO 24/7 Penguins/Capitals: Road to the 2011 NHL Winter Classic DVD 6. Reebok New York Rangers 2012 NHL Winter Classic Reversible Knit Hat 7. Reebok Philadelphia Flyers 2012 NHL Winter Classic Tassle Knit Hat 8. Reebok Philadelphia Flyers 2012 NHL Winter Classic Claude Giroux Premier Jersey 9. CCM Philadelphia Flyers 2012 NHL Winter Classic Thermal 10. Reebok New York Rangers 2012 NHL Winter Classic T-shirt WINTER CLASSIC SPOT: The NHL partnered with NBC Sports to produce a new ad campaign for Jan. 2’s Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Park. Here is one of the spots you’re likely to see ad nauseum until the game. The “Rivalry” TV spot features iconic landmarks in Philadelphia (Liberty Bell, Philadelphia Museum of Art and the LOVE Park) and New York City (Times Square and

the Empire State Building). Flyers players Sean Couturier, Claude Giroux, Scott Hartnell, Wayne Simmonds, Max Talbot and James van Riemsdyk and Rangers players Artem Anisimov, Brian Boyle, Marian Gaborik, Ryan McDonagh, Brandon Prust and Derek Stepan are also featured in the spot. Adding a unique touch to the spot is an original arrangement of the New Year’s classic, Auld Lang Syne, performed by Alex Skolnick, lead guitarist of Testament and Trans-Siberian Orchestra. We’ll be back with the other new Winter Classic spot tomorrow.

6. CSNPhilly.com- Flyers react to NHL's new realignment

Sarah Baicker

In 2010, as the well-told story goes, the Flyers got lucky. On their road to the Stanley Cup Final, they didn’t have to face the Washington Capitals or Pittsburgh Penguins, two teams that have had their number in recent years. But now, with the NHL set to completely overhaul its organization for the 2012-13 season (see story), the Flyers will only see more of their rivals. However, the morning after the league announced that it will realign teams into four new conferences with seven or eight teams apiece (and that both the Caps and Pens will be in their conference), most of the Flyers still weren’t clear on the details. In fact, Kimmo Timonen and coach Peter Laviolette only found out about the realignment Tuesday morning before practice. Ilya Bryzgalov learned of it in a conversation with the media – he wasn’t sure at first whether the changes were going to go into effect immediately. Even Braydon Coburn, the Flyers’ NHLPA representative, hadn’t yet had time to digest the adjustments. The Flyers’ new conference, for now simply called “Conference D,” includes the Capitals, Penguins, New Jersey Devils, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders and New York Rangers. One thing the realignment certainly means is the Flyers will find themselves in a very competitive group. “I think for this division, it’s going to be some really good hockey,” Max Talbot said. “I don’t know what they’re going to call it, but out of the seven teams, it’s going to be a battle to make the playoffs every year. You get into the playoffs and you’ve got to get out of that division. It’s going to be some intense hockey and I think the fans love it and we do love it as well because it’s increased rivalries and these games are what we love to play for.”

In addition to playing teams in their conference six times, the Flyers will face every other team in the league twice: once at home, once on the road. For a team with one of the easiest travel schedules in the NHL, the increased commute will likely be the element of realignment that has the biggest impact on the Flyers – at least during the regular season. “Obviously, if we add more travel, it’s going to be hard,” Timonen said. “Because our travel now, it’s really good. But whatever they do, they do. It’s really out of our hands. But I don’t mind the way things are right now, but obviously they have to do something with Winnipeg. So whatever they do, we take it.” The Winnipeg Jets, who moved north from Atlanta for the start of this season, have the unfortunate pleasure of playing in the NHL’s Southeast Division this year. Bryzgalov, who had to deal with a less-than-ideal travel schedule while with the Phoenix Coyotes, said of the Flyers’ fate, simply: “That's much more travel, huh? Damn!” The NHL’s realignment plan might appear complicated, but in reality, it’s no worse than what the league currently employs. Now, the Flyers face some Western Conference teams twice, others once. The Chicago Blackhawks came to Philadelphia in 2010, for instance, but Philly fans hoping to see a Stanley Cup rematch in 2011 were out of luck; the teams met just once that season, in Chicago. With every team now playing at least one game at the Wells Fargo Center, Flyers fans will see more of teams and players they haven’t had a chance to get a feel for in recent years. “I think it’s going to be interesting to fans to see every single team every year,” Talbot said. “We’re fortunate here in the East that we see the Crosbys, the Malkins, the Ovechkins, if I can say the ‘stars of the league.’ But the Western Conference teams, they don’t have the chance to see them as often every year. I think that’s one of the biggest advantages.” Another potential advantage is how the playoffs will look. Postseason hockey is already well-regarded for its intensity, but realignment offers an opportunity to perhaps make the product even better. The first two rounds of the postseason will be played within each conference (first place against fourth place, second versus third), with the eventual champion of each conference meeting for the final series that will decide the two teams that will battle for the Stanley Cup. The details of the playoffs after the second round will be finalized this spring, but no matter how things fall into line, the postseason promises to be a tough battle. “I think that’ll be interesting for rivalries, for sure,” Coburn said. “I know from past experience any time you play a team in the playoffs, it seems to breed bad blood. It just

seems like in that kind of format you end up maybe playing some people in consecutive years in playoffs, and I think that would really conjure up some fierce rivalries.” Not that the Flyers need any help heating up their rivalries with the Pittsburgh Penguins or Washington Capitals, of course. “Exactly,” Talbot said. “Adding a team like [the Capitals] to our division is something that makes it interesting. “It makes it tough, but it makes it interesting.” 7. CSNPhilly.com- Flyers not looking past Sabres to Pens

Tim Panaccio

That’s all that separates the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference – the Pittsburgh Penguins – from the No. 8 seed, the Ottawa Senators. The fifth-seeded Flyers, with 33 points, are three behind Pittsburgh and just four ahead of Wednesday’s opponent, the seventh-seeded Buffalo Sabres. You don’t take any team lightly right now. The thing of it is, the Flyers have won four of their last five games and instead of gaining ground and getting some separation between themselves and others, they have actually lost ground. They’ve fallen to fifth from fourth. Now, with Sidney Crosby and the Penguins coming to town on Thursday, you have to wonder if there is any chance the Flyers overlook the Sabres Wednesday night in Buffalo. “No,” said Flyers center Max Talbot, an ex-Penguin. “This team has a history with Buffalo, as well, so I don’t think we’ll look past them. Last year, watching the playoffs they battled pretty hard against Buffalo. Buffalo is always an interesting team. “We haven’t talked about [overlooking them] because we know it’s a big game on Wednesday. Every game is big right now. You look at the standings and it’s so tight. Just look at the last two games. “It’s a big game and we need to play well and stay on the ball. Then I will think about Thursday.” Two wins out west against Anaheim and Phoenix there was nothing gained in the standings.

“Exactly,” Talbot replied. Any frustration knowing you can’t get separation? “There’s no frustration,” Talbot said. “We won some games and [got] some points. No frustration unless we lost games and lost points.” All that said … Talbot admitted he had the Penguins date circled on his calendar. “I’m obviously excited,” he said. “I’ve been looking at this game since the summer. But at the same time, we’re in it right now and I’m focusing on Wednesday. “[The Penguins] are first in the conference. You look at how they’re playing, but at the same time, you know they are a good team and you are playing them soon.” Talbot says he hasn’t gotten to the point where he hates Pittsburgh. He hasn’t been in a Flyer uniform against them, for one. A good hatred, like a good rivalry, takes time. “It’s something that I’m going to battle as hard as I can because I am a proud guy,” he said. “I want to win and beat them. Every game with them is going to be really intense.” 8. CSNPhilly.com- What to like (and dislike) about realignment

John Boruk

Hey Flyers fans: Here’s what’s to like and what not to like about the current realignment proposal: I Like It! Flyers maintain their divisional rivalries with the Penguins, Devils, Rangers and added one with the Capitals I like it Not! The build up of Flyers rivalries outside their current Atlantic division will be non-existent. The Flyers will play the Bruins and Lightning the same number of times they play the Sharks and Avalanche. Once at home and once on the road. I Like It! The home-and-home setup will allow Flyers fans to see every team in the league at least once at the Wells Fargo Center. I personally would love to see the Edmonton Oilers and their up-tempo style, but that won’t happen this season. I Like it Not! Not only will the Flyers see their conference opponents six times a season, but that frequency will carry over into the first two rounds of the playoffs. Prepare to see the Devils, Rangers, Penguins and Capitals in the postseason year after year after year. I personally prefer the current playoff format. Also, a Flyers-Penguins Conference Finals is no longer a possibility.

I Like It! One proposal had the Red Wings moving east and possibly creating an unbalance among the Eastern Conference. The Wings essentially stay in an eight-team “Midwest” conference. I Like it Not! Conference D (the Flyers’ conference) could be highly competitive for the next few years. One solid team will likely fail to qualify for the postseason where they would qualify in another weaker conference. Let’s hope the Flyers don’t fall victim to this in the next few years. I Like it! The possibility (depending on how the NHL’s GMs vote next spring) that the two best teams in the regular season could inevitably meet in the Stanley Cup Final, which could set up a Flyers-Bruins Stanley Cup Final. Imagine what the Super Bowl would have looked like back in the 1980s and 1990s if the NFL adopted this format. I Like It Not! A few more 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. start times. Let’s hope the NHL will schedule two extended trips out West for East Coast teams. Overall, Flyers fans should be pleased by the current realignment plan. There was very little change and the addition of the Washington Capitals adds more star power to a conference packed with elite talent.

9. CSNPhilly.com- Tonight's game notes: Flyers at Sabres

CSNPhilly.com Staff

Flyers vs. Sabres, 7:30 p.m., Versus Records Flyers: 15-7-3 (Third in the Atlantic Division, Fifth in the Eastern Conference) Sabres: 14-11-1 (Third in the Northeast Division, Seventh in the Eastern Conference) Previous games The Flyers are coming off back-to-back road wins against the Anaheim Ducks and Phoenix Coyotes last weekend. They jumped on the Coyotes early, scoring four first-period goals. Ilya Bryzgalov returned to Phoenix for the first time since signing with the Flyers and helped secure the 4-2 victory. Ryan Miller and the Sabres beat the Nashville Predators 3-2 on Saturday night. In his first start after missing eight games with a concussion, Miller stopped 32 of 34 shots to get his sixth win of the season. Who's hot? Since coming back from his injured groin, Jaromir Jagr has two goals and four points in his last two games.

Going into Saturday's game against Nashville, Jochen Hecht had a three-game goal streak. Hect is questionable for Wednesday’s game with an upper-body injury. Storylines The Flyers are looking to sweep their three-game road trip with a win in Buffalo, while the Sabres hope to open up their five-game homestand with a win. Philadelphia's power play has seen a huge improvement from its November woes. In two December games, the Flyers are 5 for 12 on the power play. Injuries Flyers: Chris Pronger (knee), Andreas Lilja (ankle), Erik Gustafsson (wrist) Sabres: Jordan Leopold (upper-body), Paul Gaustad (upper-body), Hect (upper-body) Sound off Are you surprised by the Flyers' recent success on the power play without Chris Pronger? 10. Delaware County Times- PARENT: Realignment means Flyers may see early

springs

Rob Parent

On the surface, it appears to be a significant step forward for the NHL --- not only has the historically hysterical Board of Governors reached an agreement on something, it did so quickly. In a decision that was expected to drag through the entirety of the Pebble Beach meetings, the issue of NHL realignment was settled Monday night amid a 26-4 vote. Unfortunately for the Flyers, that vote to shuffle the league deck for next season and beyond doesn’t bode well. The proponents rightly condone how the plan maintains rivalries, even if the NHL didn’t need to be realigned in the first place. In the current system, just over half the league’s teams make the postseason out of the six-division, two-conference format, with the top three playoff spots in each conference given to the division winners and the remaining five playoff slots from each conference going to the remaining highest finishers. One consequence, however, was that teams in the West had more in-conference games than before, meaning the likes of Vancouver, Los Angeles and Phoenix found themselves more frequently journeying to western Canada or eastward as far as Detroit, Nashville and Columbus.

Upon the NHL’s second failure in Atlanta came the Thrashers’ move to Winnipeg and adoption of that outpost’s old name, the Jets. For their first reborn season, the Jets stayed where Atlanta was housed, in the Southeast Division. For 2012-13, though, a move was needed, and it was generally assumed they would swap spots with the Blue Jackets. Made sense logistically, and that way, TV ratings beasts like the Flyers, Rangers, Penguins, Capitals (allegedly, anyway) and Bruins had another patsy from which to pump up the points. But Gary Bettman, in his infinite wisdom, decided the league needed to reinvent itself. So the Commish laid the groundwork with individual owners and essentially drew up a plan to appease the West guys while compromising with the big hitters in the East. So there will be four divisions (now called conferences, which is stupid, but hey, this is still the NHL), two each in the East and West. Currently, the conferences are labeled A through D, but certainly the NHL will revert back and name these conferences after famous Irish guys or princes or something. The only imbalance is that there are still 16 teams in the West and 14 in the East, with the Detroit Red Wings likely ticked off because they’ve long wanted to move to the East. Maybe it’ll happen when Phoenix moves to Quebec City for yet another retro NHL relocation. For next season, however, four of the eight teams in each of the two western conferences and four of the seven teams in the two East conferences will make the playoffs … and that’s where the bad news happens for the Flyers. Because they were one of the clubs clamoring for rivalries, they will partner with the Rangers, Isles and Devils, along with Pittsburgh, Washington and Carolina in “Conference D.” That means the Flyers will have trouble making the playoffs. Forget the coachspeak of every game being vital to the difficult goal of qualifying for the playoffs. It’s not as much of a given as it used to be, but since 1994, the Flyers have missed the playoffs exactly once --- when they were the worst team in the league in 2006-07. While the East is competitive, there are enough patsies spread around --- especially in that Southeast Division --- to facilitate a top-8 finish. But narrow it down to four available spots and include six regular season games each against heavyweights like the superstar-led Penguins and Capitals and the rapidly developing Rangers. It appears then that a Flyers team with Claude Giroux, Danny Briere James van Riemsdyk, Chris Pronger (if healthy), Jaromir Jagr (if he sticks around), alleged future stars Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier and a goalie in Ilya Bryzgalov

who is no better than third-best in “Conference D” can look forward to perennially residing on the bubble. Once that happens, we might start believing Peter Laviolette when he says every game is a must-win. 11. Delaware County Times- Talbot can look forward to revisiting past

Anthony SanFilippo

VOORHEES, N.J. --- Max Talbot will always have Peter Forsberg to thank for his first goal in the NHL. Not that Talbot saw it. Flyers fans may remember it, and not in a positive light. Playing for the Penguins in just his seventh game in the NHL, Talbot was sent on the ice by then-Pittsburgh coach Ed Olczyk for a faceoff in front of their bench. Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock countered by keeping his top line on the ice after a full shift. Forsberg, who had four assists in the game, had just completed a dazzling toe-drag move that nearly ended up as a goal and replays were being shown on the JumboTron. Olczyk instructed Talbot to win the faceoff and clear the puck so he could get Mario Lemieux’s line on against Forsberg. Talbot did as he was told and dumped the puck down the ice, heading straight for the bench. “I was making my way to the bench as our first line was getting on the ice,” Talbot said. “I was standing along the boards waiting to get on the bench when Matt Murley said, ‘It’s in. It’s in!’ I was like, ‘What?’ The goal was reviewed. We had eight guys on the ice. But they allowed it because we in a line change.” Talbot said that last part with a smirk, almost an acknowledgment that there was a possibility that there were too many men on the ice --- not that it mattered though, because how the puck made it into the net was the crazy part. Flyers goalie Antero Niittymaki had been looking up at the JumboTron watching the replay of Forsberg’s on-ice magic and missed the Faceoff and Talbot’s shot entirely. He never saw the puck. “It was definitely the craziest goal I’ve ever been a part of,” said Talbot, now an intrinsic part of the Flyers’ attack. “But it’s a really cool way to score your first goal. It gives me a great story to tell.”

Another one is how Talbot changed the momentum of Game 6 of a conference quarterfinal playoff series with the Flyers. With his team down three goals, Talbot picked a fight with the incendiary Dan Carcillo. It woke up a dormant Penguins team who had been dominated by the Flyers for a game-and-a-half at that point. The Penguins came back, won the game and eliminated the Flyers, then went on win the Stanley Cup – with Talbot scoring twice in the Cup clincher. Now, Talbot is cheered by the Flyers faithful, not jeered. When the Flyers return home Thursday, Talbot will be facing his old mates from Pittsburgh for the first time. “I want to think about Buffalo (tonight) first, because that’s a big game for us (today),” Talbot said, “but Thursday is going to be emotional. It’s going to be pretty intense and pretty special and I can’t wait to compete against them.” People around the league are noticing Talbot’s impact on the ice. Some experts are considering him an early candidate for the Selke Trophy as the league’s best two-way forward. Talbot is probably a longshot to be voted as a finalist, but the fact that some people are mentioning his name as a dark horse means the work he’s doing is appreciated. “Max is one of those guys that comes to play every night,” coach Peter Laviolette said recently. “He does so many things well that can’t be measured statistically but give us a better chance at success.” With 12 points in 25 games, Talbot is on pace to blow away his career high in goals and points. While that’s a bonus that the Flyers weren’t anticipating when they signed him to a five-year, $8.75 million deal, what they were counting on, Talbot has provided in spades. He is a versatile forward who can play all three positions, either with skill players or grinders. He is also a top-notch penalty killer and anchors a PK unit that still ranks in the top half of the league despite a lineup that has been riddled with injuries. Talbot is now averaging more than 15 minutes of ice time per game and is a key piece to the Flyers roster moving forward. NOTES: The HBO cameras began filming practice Tuesday for the show 24/7: Road to the Winter Classic. ... Brayden Schenn, Andrej Meszaros Danny Briere and James van Riemsdyk all skated at practice. There was no update on their status for tonight’s game as Paul Holmgren was in California for the Board of Governors meeting, but according to one source, all four would be available for the game in Buffalo. 12. Bucks County Courier-Times- Flyers OK with new NHL alignment

Wayne Fish

VOORHEES -- People tend to forget the Flyers' two Stanley Cups came at the expense of rivals from the East, namely Boston and Buffalo, back in the ‘70s. But it's been decades since the possibility of a potential rematch existed, thanks to the East-West format introduced in the early ‘80s. Now, however, it's back to the future. Pending the approval of the NHL Players' Association, a new realignment next year will allow teams from the same part of the country to meet for hockey's championship. Braydon Coburn, the Flyers' union rep, says he likes the new look. "I think that'll be interesting for rivalries, for sure,'' he said. "I know from past experience anytime you play a team in the playoffs, it seems to breed bad blood. It just seems like in that kind of format you end up maybe playing some people in consecutive years in playoffs and I think that would really conjure up some fierce rivalries.'' The NHL has gone to a four-conference format. The Flyers have been placed in a seven-team conference that consists of the current Atlantic Division (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders) plus the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes. The Flyers will play each of those six conference teams six times (three home, three away), plus play all 23 other NHL teams twice (home and away). Under the new format, the top four teams in each conference will qualify for the playoffs. Once a champion is established in each conference, those four teams will play for the title. It's going to mean more travel for the Flyers but also some diversity. Other Flyers' reaction: Daniel Briere: "There are some good parts. There are some parts that are not as fun. Obviously, not having the chance to play in Montreal or Buffalo (once instead of twice) quite as much. "You know, it's an adjustment. It is what it is. Everybody knew they had to change something. So that's probably the best they could do to make as many people as they could happy.'' Max Talbot: "It's going to be different, but it's going to be good. I'm glad that they were able to keep most of the same rivalries in the same conference or divisions. I think it's going to be a little bit more traveling for the Eastern Conference teams, a little bit less for

the Western. Just looking at the votes, the way the owners and the GMs voted, 26-4 I think, it means it was probably the best they could do. It's going to be interesting.'' Ilya Bryzgalov: "That (union approval) is a good thing to bargain for (in) the (next) CBA (collective bargaining agreement)." Kimmo Timonen: "Obviously if we add more travel, it's going to be hard. Because our travel now, it's really good. But whatever they do, they do. It's really out of our hands. I don't mind the way things are right now, but obviously they had to do something with Winnipeg. So whatever they do, we take it.'' 13. Camden Courier-Post- Flyers give thumbs up to new NHL realignment

Randy Miller

VOORHEES — Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov looked confused getting a post-practice question Tuesday on all the big changes that are coming for the NHL. The Russian hadn’t heard the league’s Board of Governors approved a radical realignment plan late Monday night, so he spent more time listening as reporters spelled it all out instead of offering much of a reaction. Once getting the basics to a new four-conference league that replaces the current six-division, two-conference format, Bryz chimed in. “Now or next year?” Told this all comes into play next season, Bryz listened some more before interrupting upon hearing that all 30 teams will be playing home-and-homes with non-conference foes. “There’s much more travel, huh? Damn!” he said. “Why did nobody ask us?” He was kidding, but the NHL Players’ Association must approve the changes, which is believed to be a formality. As for the increased traveling, the Flyers will be spending a little more time in airplanes because they'll be making annual visits to all teams currently in the Western Conference instead of mostly every other season. The Flyers, who return from a three-day layoff tonight for a game in Buffalo, did get their way on one important issue: Their new seven-team conference has them still together with Pittsburgh and New York Rangers, their two biggest rivals, along with current division foes New Jersey and the New York Islanders, plus Washington and Carolina.

Under the new system, the Flyers will play their conference rivals six times each (36 games) and everyone else twice (46 games). Currently, they play division rivals six times (24 games), the 10 other teams in their conference four times (40 games) and a combined 18 games against the 15 Western Conference teams. “I think it’s gonna be interesting to fans to see every single team every year,” Flyers center Max Talbot said. “We’re fortunate here in the East that we see the (Sidney) Crosbys, the (Evgeni) Malkins, the (Alex) Ovechkins, if I can say the ‘stars of the league.’ But the Western Conference teams, they don’t have the chance to see them as often every year. “It's gonna be different, but it’s gonna be good. I’m glad that they were able to keep most of the same rivalries. I think it’s gonna be a little bit more traveling for the Eastern Conference teams, a little bit less for the Western.” Actually there will be no East or West under the new system, which has yet to name conferences. As for the playoffs, there will be a lot of changing there, too. Sixteen teams still will qualify, but starting next season it will be the top four from each conference and then there will nothing but conference play in the first two rounds. “I think that’ll be interesting for rivalries, for sure,” defenseman Braydon Coburn said. “I know from past experience anytime you play a team in the playoffs, it seems to breed bad blood. It just seems like in that kind of format you end up maybe playing some people in consecutive years in playoffs and I think that would really conjure up some fierce rivalries.” Nothing’s official for the final two playoff rounds, but word is the four conference survivors will be reseeded and play it out, so it’s possible the Flyers could meet teams such as Vancouver or Dallas in the semifinals and play Boston or Montreal for the Cup. The changes were tabled this year because Winnipeg currently is playing in the Eastern Conference after relocating from Atlanta following the 2010-11 season. “It’s an adjustment,” Flyers center Danny Briere said. “Everybody knew they had to change something, so that’s probably the best they could do to make as many people as they could happy.” Empty netters

Rookie forward Brayden Schenn missed practice for the second consecutive day, but the Flyers haven't announced an injury and called Monday's absence a “maintenance day.” Schenn recently returned after missing a month with a broken foot, so it’s possible his foot is sore ... Claude Giroux was named Philadelphia’s Pro Athlete of the Year by the Philadelphia Sports Writer’s Association and will be honored at the annual dinner Jan. 30 at the Crowne Plaza, Cherry Hill. 14. Philly Sports Daily- Flyers React To NHL Realignment

Dave Isaac

VOORHEES, N.J. — Some Flyers were on top of the news. Others needed to be informed after practice. Next year, the Flyers’ schedule will look a lot different and so will the standings. The NHL Board of Governors voted a new alignment on Monday night that adds the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes to the Flyers’ division. Right now it’s known as “Division D,” but that, along with a few more details, has yet to be determined. But from what they know now, the Flyers are excited about the prospect of realignment. “It’s gonna be different, but it’s gonna be good,” said Max Talbot. “I’m glad that they were able to keep most of the same rivalries in the same conference or divisions. I think it’s gonna be a little bit more traveling for the Eastern Conference teams, a little bit less for the Western. “Just looking at the votes, the way the owners and the GMs voted, 26-4 I think, it means it was probably the best they could do. It’s gonna be interesting.” The schedule format will be that teams will play every conference opponent six times and play every non-conference team twice, home-and-home. When that was explained to Ilya Bryzgalov, his first reaction was about the road games. “You know what, man? That’s much more travel,” said Bryzgalov. “Damn, man.” It will be more travel, but right now the Flyers have it the easiest in terms of travel for any team in the NHL. “Obviously if we add more travel, it’s going to be hard,” added Kimmo Timonen. “Because our travel now, it’s really good. But whatever they do, they do. It’s really out of our hands. But I don’t mind the way things are right now, but obviously they have to do something with Winnipeg. So whatever they do, we take it.” Travel aside, the division rivalries will be heightened even more, not that any of the current Atlantic Division teams needed help getting up for those games. The Washington Capitals in particular will now be under the microscope even more.

“I think that’ll be interesting for rivalries, for sure,” said Braydon Coburn. “I know from past experience anytime you play a team in the playoffs, it seems to breed bad blood. It just seems like in that kind of format you end up maybe playing some people in consecutive years in playoffs and I think that would really conjure up some fierce rivalries.”

15. Philly Sports Daily- Schenn, Meszaros, Briere Return To Practice

Dave Isaac

VOORHEES, N.J. — The Flyers are getting healthier, slowly but surely. They were missing three players due to maintenance days on Monday, but all three returned on Tuesday. Andrej Meszaros took a big hit at the end of the Phoenix Coyotes game on Saturday and is probably still recovering from it a bit, but he went full throttle in practice on Tuesday and, according to multiple reports, will play on Wednesday. Danny Briere was sick and missed Monday’s activities, but was on the ice on Tuesday and showed no ill effects. Brayden Schenn was not on the ice at the start of practice, but eventually joined his teammates and was a full participant as well. With him in the lineup and James van Riemsdyk likely to return, the Flyers will have yet another new look. Here is the projected lineup against the Sabres based on the practice lines: Scott Hartnell — Claude Giroux — Jaromir Jagr Wayne Simmonds — Danny Briere — Matt Read James van Riemsdyk — Brayden Schenn — Jakub Voracek Max Talbot — Sean Couturier — Zac Rinaldo Kimmo Timonen — Braydon Coburn Matt Carle — Marc-Andre Bourdon Kevin Marshall — Andrej Meszaros 16. Philly Sports Daily- Focus Is On Miller As Flyers Face Buffalo

Dave Isaac

If Ryan Miller thought last year’s Flyers were a bunch of mass murders, it’s curious what he thinks about his opponents this season. For the second time this season, Miller was the subject of a controversial hit. On Saturday night, Nashville’s Jordan Tootoo drilled Miller while driving to the net and was subsequently suspended two games as a punishment.

This was Miller’s first game back after sustaining a concussion in a hit from Boston’s Milan Lucic on Nov. 12. Miller was sharp on Saturday night, making 32 saves, but his season leading up to that game has been a bit shaky. In November he allowed 11 goals in three games before the concussion, one of them to the Flyers, a 3-2 Philadelphia win on Nov. 2. But Miller isn’t the only key to this game for the Flyers. Thomas Vanek remains the Sabres’ most dangerous player with 12 goals and 15 assists. He is the only Sabre in double figures in goals. The Flyers, the most offensive team in the league, have three. Buffalo has been kind to the Flyers in the regular season. They have gotten points in each of their last eight games at First Niagara Center, dating back to February of 2008.

17. Philadelphia Flyers- Playing with the Hypotheticals

Players, Coaches, Fans all look at what will soon be a new NHL

philadelphiaflyers.com

With news coming late last night on the East Coast about the National Hockey League re-aligning their teams and conferences, Flyers players and coaches gave their impressions. “It seems like kind of a neat idea and it’ll be different for sure,” said Flyers defenseman Braydon Coburn, who is the Flyers player representatives for the NHL’s Player Association. Their new conference, named Conference D for now, will be the same teams as the Atlantic Division (PIT, NJ, NYR, NYI) with the same amount of games being played, but Flyers fans will get an additional look (home and away) of the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals. The format will have the Flyers see every team twice and for Flyers fans, they will see every team in the NHL at least once, meaning yearly trips to Vancouver, Calgary, San Jose and the other West Coast teams that the Flyers have been infrequent guests and hosts to every other year in some cases. The format will also see a much different race for the playoffs and Stanley Cup championship. “I just saw it this morning and I didn’t know if it was final or not,” said Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette. “I’m not sure what to think about it. I don’t mind [the travel]; the playoffs will be different, so that’s why I’m not sure yet.” What fans can expect to see in the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs is a clash of conference rivals through the first two rounds.

In each yet-to-be named conference, the top four teams in the standings will qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs AND will face each other in rounds 1 and 2 in a (#1 vs. #4) and (#2 vs. #3). In many ways it is a throw back to the old “Divisional” playoff series, before teams would play for the right to go to the Stanley Cup Final. From 1974-75 through 1993 the Flyers played in the NHL’s Patrick Division, named after NHL-legend Lester Patrick, taking eight regular season division titles along the way, the most of any team in that division throughout the years. They also prevailed in three playoff series to capture the Patrick Division title, moving onto the Wales Conference Finals, which included two memorable seven-game series against the NY Islanders, and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the late 80’s in which they prevailed in both. Following the 1992-93 season, the NHL became the Eastern-Western Conference with geographical names (Atlantic, Northeast, Central, Pacific) for their divisions. From there it gets a bit interesting and fans can play with the hypotheticals for the next 17 months. The four winners of their conference would meet in the third round of the playoffs, with the two remaining teams vying for Lord Stanley’s Cup. This essentially could mean that the Flyers could play teams from any other conference, such as the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens and others for the Stanley Cup Title. And vice-versa, the Flyers could be in the semi-final series playing the Los Angeles Kings, Detroit Red Wings and even the Edmonton Oilers. Whatever the case turns out to be, the hockey won’t change. And if it does, the feeling is that most players and coaches expect it to be more heated and passionate than ever. “I know from past experience that anytime you play a team in the playoffs, it just seems to breed bad blood,” added Coburn. “It just seems in that kind of a format you end of playing, some people in consecutive years in the playoffs and that will really conjure up some fierce rivalries.” Buffalo Sabres Articles (FLYERS Next Opponent)

1. Bufallo News- Sabres seeking answers to home woes

Mike Harrington

The creature comforts of home should make you more comfortable, not skittish. So how do you explain the Buffalo Sabres' baffling play this year at First Niagara Center? The Sabres should be poised to pile up points in a five-game run of home contests that opens tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers. Instead, there's trepidation caused by a schedule of visits that includes Florida (Friday), the New York Rangers (Saturday), Ottawa (Tuesday) and Toronto (Dec. 16). Technically, the Sabres enter tonight's game with a 6-8-1 record at home but they were the "home" team for their season-opening win over Anaheim in Finland. So they are actuallly just 5-8-1 downtown and if that seems sub-par to you, it sure is. Consider: * With 11 points on their home rink, the Sabres entered Tuesday tied with New Jersey, Columbus, Anaheim and Nashville for the NHL's fewest. The only teams with more than Buffalo's eight regulation losses at home were Colorado, Anaheim and Columbus (nine). * It's the second year in a row the Sabres have started 5-8-1. Their 11 points in the first 14 home games are just one off the franchise low at that mark in the schedule of 10 set in 1971-72 and 1986-87 (4-8-2 both years). "We all know we have to be better at home," goaltender Ryan Miller said this week. "It's critical to a season." "There's no explanation for it," added injured defenseman Jordan Leopold. "You look at it and say the usual things like we have to work harder, work smarter, put the puck on the net but it doesn't happen every night. It's kind of an Achilles heel right now and we need to change it." The Sabres went through similar trouble last year, not winning a home game until Nov. 13 and opening with a 0-6-1 record downtown. But they turned that around in the second half to finish 21-16-4, a burst that fueled their playoff run. They need to do that again. Coach Lindy Ruff worked the Sabres hard during practice Tuesday in the Northtown Center of Amherst and was plenty loud in making his points. The points of emphasis were quick puck movement, quick passes, more shots and winning battles for the puck. The Sabres have been deficient in all of those areas in many recent games. "It's trying to get inside," Ruff said. "Not standing on the perimeter but getting inside for some of those opportunities from 10 feet we haven't been getting. "I don't think I can pinpoint [the home record] on just one thing. ... There's such a fine line. When we play a complete game from the goaltender out, we'll win at home."

Indeed, things really need to start with Miller. He gave up three goals in the first seven minutes of the Flyers' visit here on Nov. 7, a recent Sabres trend. Miller, in fact, is one of Buffalo's biggest offenders on home ice with a 2-4 record, 3.90 goals-against average and .879 save percentage. On the road, he's 4-2, 1.77 and .944. Miller acknowledged key early saves would help his team but so would offense. Thanks largely to big turnovers, the Sabres have given up the first goal in five of the last six games at home and gone 1-4-1 in them. "Teams are collapsing harder and when they get a lead, they clog the neutral zone more," said winger Drew Stafford. "It's hard to come back. We need to be better right off the bat. We have to focus our energy and attention on how we start the game." "I think we're just a little uptight right now," Miller said. "It's hard to say what leads into that whole mindset ... We need to clear the air, clear our heads and go out and play." Miller has been one target of fans ire but he's hardly been alone. At least when the paying customers are making much noise. Visiting writers and broadcasters have openly commented this season on how quiet the building has become. There are some acoustical issues, like the high domed roof, that will always keep the Sabres' home a tad quieter than other rinks. But it should be noted there was no shortage of noise during the Sabres' four Eastern Conference finals runs. And on top of the silence has been the crowd's mood, which has been openly surly at times. "Obviously you hear the fans," said captain Jason Pominville. "I don't know if they realize it, but sometimes they have a huge impact on the way we feel, the way we work and compete. We feed off the energy they bring to us." "We know we have one of the best fanbases in the league," added Stafford. "They support us every game and we want to put on a good performance for them. At the same time, we need them to have our backs. "When we're not doing well on the power play or getting outshot bad, they'll start booing us and we deserve some of that. At the same time, it's nice to have them cheering."

2. Buffalo News- Tootoo gets 2 game suspension for running Miller

Mike Harrington

The NHL didn't send a major message to Nashville forward Jordin Tootoo for his bullrush through Ryan Miller's crease Saturday night.

Tootoo got a two-game suspension Tuesday from the league and you can imagine that's not what Sabres coach Lindy Ruff had in mind. Ruff had already spoken to the media following practice at the Northtown Center of Amherst before the decision was announced. Ruff showed disgust after practice Monday when he learned Tootoo was having a phone hearing with the league, which meant a maximum five-game ban. The Sabres undoubtedly wanted more for Tootoo, who was given a major penalty for charging and a game misconduct for his actions in the second period. Tootoo drilled Miller in the goalie's first game back after the infamous Milan Lucic play Nov. 12 in Boston that earned only a minor penalty and no suspension. Ruff called Tootoo's action a "joke" several times after the game Saturday and reiterated his stance that a message needed to be sent to all players about goaltender safety following practice Monday. In his league-released video explanation of the suspension, NHL Vice President for Player Safety Brendan Shanahan said Tootoo was pushed only slightly by Sabres defenseman Christian Ehrhoff, and that didn't absolve him from the resulting collision with Miller. "The onus therefore is on Tootoo to avoid, or at the very least, minimize his contact with the goaltender," Shanahan said. "While we believe that Tootoo's motivation on this play was to attempt to score and not to hit Miller, the fact remains that it is the attacking player's responsibility to make a better effort not to crash directly into the opposing goaltender." Tootoo said he went airborne trying to avoid a collision. Shanahan said that point could be argued but added of Tootoo's leap, "it actually had the opposite effect and caused the collision to involve direct contact with Miller's head." Shanahan said his decision rested in part by the fact Miller was not injured and Tootoo has not been suspended the last four years. Tootoo will forfeit $13,513.52 to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund. He missed Tuesday's game against Phoenix and will also sit Thursday at Columbus. He can return Saturday against Anaheim. Ruff said he had not digested the NHL's new alignment for the 2012-13 season and had no comment on it. The Sabres will be in a conference with current Northeast Division foes Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Boston as well as newcomers Tampa Bay and Florida.

"That will be pretty interesting," said Jason Pominville. "It will be different. I'm excited to see what the schedule will be." Told it means three trips a year to Tampa Bay and Florida instead of two, Pominville smiled and said, "No problem at all." No surprises in the Sabres' injury report as Tyler Myers, Mike Weber, Brad Boyes, Patrick Kaleta, Paul Gaustad and Jordan Leopold will all sit out tonight's game. Jochen Hecht, who missed practice Monday, will play. Cody McCormick passed his neuropsych test and could play. He has missed the last nine games with apparent concussion symptoms. Leopold continues to practice but 6-foot-8 Joe Finley returned from Rochester and should play tonight. Flyers forward James Van Riemsdyk, one of the stars of the teams' playoff series last spring, has missed the last four games but should return tonight. . . . . The Sabres will be hosting a winter clothing drive at four December home games, beginning Friday against Florida. New or gently used hats, gloves, coats, boots, scarves and sweaters will be collected in the arena pavilion and given to the City Mission at that game as well as Saturday's visit by the New York Rangers, next Tuesday's game against Ottawa and the Dec. 16 visit by Toronto. Mission officials will be on hand to accept clothing and cash donations.

Adirondack Phantoms Articles

1. Glen Falls Post-Star- Phantoms let another one slip away

Glen Falls Post-Star Staff

HAMILTON, Ontario -- For the second straight game, Michael Leighton played outstanding in goal. It again wasn't enough for the Adirondack Phantoms to come away with a road victory. Aaron Palushaj scored with 45 seconds remaining in overtime to give Hamilton a 1-0 victory over the Phantoms on Tuesday in front of a crowd of 2,003 at Copps Coliseum. The Phantoms ended their 1,600-mile road trip with a 1-1-1 record, but lost twice in the final minute of games. Norfolk beat them 2-1 on Saturday by scoring in the last minute of regulation.

Making his sixth straight start, Leighton made 27 saves. He had 32 in the loss to Norfolk. While the Phantoms did a good job on the trip of holding teams scoreless - they allowed just four goals in three games - their own attack sputtered. After scoring five goals on Friday, they had just one goal in their next two. The Phantoms have been held scoreless for the last 99 minutes and 14 seconds of play. Tuesday, they had just 10 shots through the first two periods, but turned it on in the third, peppering Hamilton goalie Nathan Lawson with 20 shots. Lawson remained perfect, stopping all 34 Phantoms shots. The Phantoms didn't allow a power-play goal for the sixth straight game. They've killed off the last 30 penalties against them. Having earned the standings point, the Phantoms (13-8-1-1) moved into sole possession of second place in the Northeast Division, leading Albany by one point. They are three points behind Connecticut for first. The Phantoms return home for games at the Civic Center on Friday and Saturday against Portland and Rochester. Loose pucks: Oskars Bartulis missed his third straight game with an unknown injury. Eric Wellwood remained out of the lineup. ... According to ECHL transactions, the Phantoms recalled goaltender Johan Backlund from the Trenton Titans. Trenton plays at home on Wednesday and in Reading on Thursday. Adirondack (13-8-0-1) 0 0 0 0 - 0 Hamilton (8-12-1-1-) 0 0 0 1 - 1 First period - none. Penalties - Palushaj, Ham (goaltender interference), 5:46; Testwuide, Adk (hooking), 11:39; Leighton, Adk (interference), 13:01. Second period - none. Penalties - Klotz, Adk (interference), 14:03; Holmstrom, Adk (roughing), 20:00; Sestito, Adk (roughing), 20:00; Henry, Ham (roughing), 20:00. Third period - none. Penalties - Lawson, Ham (interference), 2:38; served by Avtsin Ham (bench minor-too many men), 13:32. Overtime - 1, Hamilton, Palushaj 2 (Masse, Fast), 4:15. Penalties - none. Shots on goal - Adirondack 6-4-20-4-34; Hamilton 7-13-5-3-28. Power-play opportunities - Adirondack 0 / 3; Hamilton 0 / 4. Goalies - Adirondack, Leighton 10-7-0 (28 shots-27 saves); Hamilton, Lawson 7-7-1 (34 shots-34 saves). Referee - Burchell. A - 2,003. NHL Articles

1. NHL.com- Booth, Luongo leave game vs. Avalanche

Kevin Woodley

VANCOUVER – So much for the Vancouver Canucks' "American Express" line. Already missing Chris Higgins with a foot infection, Vancouver's second line lost winger David Booth to a scary looking knee-on-knee collision in the first period against Colorado on Tuesday night. Booth, who had a goal and two assists in Sunday's win against Calgary, was cutting into the slot with the puck when Avalanche center Kevin Porter caught collided with him, right knee to right knee, dropping Booth right to the ice. Booth lay there throughout a television timeout, and needed help from teammates just to get off the ice. He didn't put any weight on his right leg as Kevin Bieksa and Henrik Sedin guided him off the ice, and hopped down the tunnel to the locker room on his left leg. Porter was given a five-minute major penalty for kneeing and a game misconduct. Booth, Higgins and center Ryan Kesler combined for 2 key goals and 9 points in the win against Calgary, but Higgins developed a foot infection before Monday's practice. Booth only scored twice in his first 13 games after being acquired from Florida in a late-October trade, but had three in five games before getting hurt. After recording one assist in six games with the Panthers, Booth also had 12 points in 18 games with the Canucks. The Canucks also lost No.1 goaltender Roberto Luongo to a high shot that caught him under the chin early in the second period. Luongo, who doesn't wear a plastic dangler under his mask, was lying down face first on the ice, kicking his legs in pain for a couple minutes after Gabriel Landeskog's rising slap shot hit him in the neck. Making his second start after backing up for five straight, Luongo eventually got up and skated to the bench, giving way to impressive second-year backup Cory Schneider. Colorado also lost defenseman Ryan Wilson in the first period to what a team official called a "head" injury after being hit into the boards by Vancouver's Maxim Lapierre. 2. NHL.com- Roenick: Nugent-Hopkins clicking, Ovechkin missing

Jeremy Roenick

NHL Network analyst and former All-Star Jeremy Roenick will be penning a weekly blog for NHL.com this season. Look for new entries from "World According to JR," every Wednesday. Roenick will offer sharp, can't-miss opinions on What's Clicking and What's Missing in the National Hockey League. A rising rookie and a falling superstar highlight my blog this week. Read on to find out what's on my mind: What's clicking?

With the instant impact of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, it just amazes me that the Edmonton Oilers even considered sending this kid back to junior instead of keeping him for the season. At 18 years old and being the No. 1 draft pick, and then to come in and make such an instant impact while making things look so easy is totally amazing to me. This kid has impressed me with his maturity, with his sense of the game, with how knowledgeable he is, the way he reads the game. For a rookie to have 29 points in 27 games, with 12 goals and 17 assists -- I don't know if we've seen a rookie this good in a long time. He couldn't be on a more perfect team, also. This is a very young Edmonton team, with guys close to his age that are learning, as well. He has the ability to grow with a group that he's going to feel comfortable with, and it's going to allow him to have a lot of playing time early in his career with a lot of openings on special teams. He will be able to mature at a good rate. The Edmonton Oilers deserve credit for doing a great job with an extremely young and talented Nugent-Hopkins, who I think we all can see is only going to get better. I have to give an honorary mention to Luke Adam in Buffalo. He is having a solid first half of his first full NHL season. He seems very confident and appears to be on a team that matches his style of play at both ends of the rink. Then there is Matt Read, my Bemidji State Beavers guy. He has introduced me to Bemidji State with his play with the Flyers. These are three rookies that we can look forward to watching for many years in the National Hockey League. What's missing? Alex Ovechkin is one of my favorite players in the National Hockey League. My son wears No. 8 on his jersey and uses Ovechkin in NHL12 every single time he plays it. But Ovechkin's play this season is very concerning. I don't know what is going on. I don't know what the issue is with him. There are a lot of rumors going around that the firing of coach Bruce Boudreau had something to do with Ovechkin. Regardless, Ovechkin has to look in the mirror and decide what kind of player he wants to be. Does he want to be known and remembered as one of the greatest players in the National Hockey League? Or does he want to wallow in mediocrity like he is right now while continuing to do commercials and sign endorsement deals? One thing is for sure -- right now what he is doing is not working.

In the past couple seasons we've debated about the best player in the world -- is it Alex Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby? Now it's not even close, and now there have been a couple of players that have bypassed Ovechkin in that discussion. That is unacceptable from a player of Ovechkin's stature. I'm not saying he's out of shape, but there is something missing from Ovechkin's game that only he knows and only he can find. I really hope he finds it and gets back on a roll, starts scoring goals and playing the way we know he can play, because he is one of the most electric players in the League; one that can do it all. Right now he's one of the reasons why the Washington Capitals are struggling. He is not concentrating night in and night out on being the Capitals' best player. What is it going to take for him to get himself back into the discussion for who is the best player in the world? Only Alex Ovechkin knows. 3. NHL.com- Islanders improved, but still have a long way to go

John Kreiser

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Less than two weeks after it looked like their playoff hopes were left by the wayside, the New York Islanders have found some life. The Isles were shut out for the fifth time at home this season when the New Jersey Devils came into the Nassau Coliseum on the day after Thanksgiving and blanked them 1-0. At that point, they were last in the Eastern Conference standings -- and last by a considerable margin in scoring. With a four-game road trip beginning the next day in New Jersey, it looked like this season would be a repeat of 2010-11, when a horrible November doomed the Islanders to their fourth consecutive non-playoff season. Instead, the Islanders started finding the net -- and the win column. A 3-2 win at New Jersey was followed by a 2-1 victory at Buffalo. The Isles lost 5-4 in a shootout at Chicago on Friday, and then matched their season-high in goals in a 5-4 win at Dallas the next night. They did it again Tuesday when they routed the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1. That's 19 goals in a five-game stretch, by far their best of the season. "We had a pretty good week last week," captain Mark Streit said after Tuesday's victory, which moved the Islanders (9-11-5) within six points of eighth place in the East with games in hand on every team ahead of them. "Obviously it was a big road trip for us, a successful trip, and it was really important to take the momentum and carry it into the start of this homestand." "We have a lot of work ahead of us. We're not even close to halfway through the season yet. It's been a good week, but that's all it's really been. It's time to move forward and get ready for two of the best teams in the League -- we have to make sure we bring our 'A'

game and understand that it's not going to get any easier, for us, that these games are huge, and try and keep the momentum." -- John Tavares The Islanders spotted the Lightning an early lead when Martin St. Louis scored on Tampa Bay's first shot of the game. But unlike last month, when allowing a goal in a similar situation would have deflated the Isles, they bounced back with three goals in the final six minutes of the period to take command. "That gave us the confidence, the security," Streit said of the three-goal burst. "It was a big win for us to start the week." Even bigger could be the fact that No. 1 center John Tavares finally scored. Though he had 5 assists in the games at Chicago and Buffalo, Tavares hadn't put the puck in the net since Nov. 5 before he beat Mathieu Garon at 14:01 of the opening period. "It's great getting chances, but it's about time I started capitalizing on them more frequently," Tavares said. "It was nice to get that one early in the game, to finally see one go in. I've got to stick with it and keep producing when I get my opportunities." With Tavares scoring in bunches at the start of the season, the Isles won three of their first four games. But from Oct. 15, when they beat the Rangers, to the Nov. 26 victory at New Jersey, the Islanders won just twice in 16 games (2-10-4). "The first four games of the season we played well," Streit said. "Then we hit a hole and lost a lot of games. We tried to find ways to win hockey games, and instead we found ways to lose. We talked a lot, we practiced a lot, and the past 10 days have been way better. We've found ways to win. "All the guys are going, all the lines, and we're playing way better defensively. We score goals, the (power play) works well, the (penalty kill) works well. It's a combination of things." The continued growth of goaltender Al Montoya has made a difference, as well. Montoya is 3-0-1 during the streak and played a perfect third period in Saturday's 5-4 win at Dallas after Rick DiPietro went down with a groin injury. "I think you can see him believe in himself -- his confidence and his ability were why he was drafted so high," Tavares said of Montoya, the sixth pick of the 2004 Entry Draft. "Sometimes it takes guys longer than others, especially for a goalie. Sometimes it's not always easy to find your way, but he's battled hard. He came here (from Phoenix in a trade in February) with an open mind; we have him a great opportunity and he's run away with it." Perhaps the most encouraging thing to Streit was that the Islanders didn't have to hang on to win Tuesday, as they had in the other three wins during the 4-0-1 streak. They took a 3-1 lead into the third period and put up two more goals for a rare easy victory.

"Playing good teams on the road -- Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas -- you're not going to go there and win 5-1. They are good teams," Streit said. "It was good to go out and get a win, and in the third period when we were up 4-1, they didn't have anything. We kept playing. We didn't get too passive. That's good for our confidence. We need to learn how to play with a lead." Despite their improvement, Tavares knows there's a long way to go if the Islanders hope to get into the top eight in the Eastern Conference. They host Central Division-leading Chicago on Thursday and the Eastern Conference-leading Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. "We have a lot of work ahead of us," he said. "We're not even close to halfway through the season yet. It's been a good week, but that's all it's really been. It's time to move forward and get ready for two of the best teams in the League -- we have to make sure we bring our 'A' game and understand that it's not going to get any easier, for us, that these games are huge, and try and keep the momentum." 4. NHL.com- Rivalries, balanced schedule among high points

Dan Rosen

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- With realignment approved by the Board of Governors on Monday, Tuesday became a day of revisiting the decision and dissecting some of the finer points of the four-conference system the NHL intends to implement for the 2012-13 season. Here are five items from the radical realignment plan that deserve a closer look: 1. Intensifying rivalries The Stanley Cup Playoff format in the four-conference alignment is set up to create new rivalries and add energy to traditional ones. Since the first two rounds of the playoffs will be played within the conference, the teams that battle each other for the majority of the regular-season games will be the teams faced in the early playoff rounds. This is the same system the NHL had in place from 1982-1993 when the top four finishers in all four divisions played in the divisional playoffs before getting down to the Conference Finals. It was back then that rivalries such as Washington vs. Pittsburgh and Detroit vs. Minnesota were born.

"Those were the same teams that you saw the next year, so it would carry over," Washington President Dick Patrick told NHL.com. "It wouldn't be just like a team that you're only going to play twice the next year -- it would be against teams that seem like they're coming in every other week. It really creates tremendous rivalries." What happens to the seeding once the two intra-conference rounds are complete and there are four teams remaining has not yet been determined, but NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman offered a few ideas Tuesday. "I think it's a little premature because it's something I'm going to let the general managers do, but if you use the two eastern-most conferences against the two western-most conferences you reduce travel," Bettman said. "But, by the same token, you have a myriad of possibilities if you reseed based on points. "Somebody even suggested to me today that you can have a random drawing. I'm not advocating that. All I'm saying is this is a discussion I think the general managers can weigh in on effectively and can make a good decision on in March when they get together." 2. Balanced schedule The Bruins won the Stanley Cup in Vancouver last season, but, because of the unbalanced schedule, their only chance of going back to the Pacific Northwest this season is if they meet the Canucks in the Final again in June. Under the new four-conference alignment, that won't be a concern. Part of the allure for Board members to vote in favor of the radical realignment plan was the ability to create a balanced schedule. Every team will play in every city at least once per season, giving fans across the NHL the opportunity on an annual basis to see all the League's top teams and superstars. The unbalanced system that is currently in place means, for this season at least, fans in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Colorado, Detroit and Nashville do not get the opportunity to see the defending Stanley Cup champion. "In non-traditional markets, I have a hard time explaining to fans why they aren't seeing Sidney Crosby," Stars President Jim Lites told NHL.com. "Joe Nieuwendyk had a great quote in an article I saw in Dallas, where he said in the last six or seven years we've played Phoenix about 52 times and we've played Toronto five. As bad as our season-ticket base is, and part of my job is to fix it, the Friday after U.S. Thanksgiving we were sold out, every seat in the building, because we were playing Toronto. It matters. It's a big deal." 3. Thrilled in the Midwest

Detroit GM Ken Holland told NHL.com Monday night that six months ago the Red Wings were pushing for a move to the Eastern Conference to satisfy their travel and time zone concerns. As a team that plays in the Eastern time zone, the Wings had just finished two rounds in the playoffs against San Jose and Phoenix -- and Holland said fans told him they just couldn't stay up to watch Detroit's road games because of late start times. The four-conference alignment changes all of that for not only Detroit, but also for Minnesota, Dallas and Columbus. All four teams had legitimate geographic concerns in the present system due to heavy travel and late start times for road games. Those concerns are erased under the four-conference setup because the geographically based alignment of the conferences limits travel and time-zone disadvantages. "This was a compromise that satisfies everybody to the largest extent possible," Columbus GM Scott Howson said. 4. Seven-team conference vs. eight-team conference Bettman said the League felt it was necessary to bring into focus the discrepancy between having two conferences with seven teams and two more with eight teams when it made its realignment proposals to the Board of Governors on Monday. The response from the executives in the board room was the discrepancy didn't seem to matter enough to nix the entire plan. As Bettman pointed out, as recently as this past summer, Major League Baseball was operating with 16 teams in the American League and 14 teams in the National League -- and it didn't seem to be an issue. The view of the Board, Bettman said, is that the last-place teams in each conference won't factor into the playoffs anyway, so it's not a big deal. Having two conferences with seven teams and two conferences with eight teams allows for flexibility to move teams around or potentially add more in the future. Bettman noted this, but stressed that at this time the League does not have any desire to relocate a franchise or expand to other markets, and neither factor was considered in the realignment vote. 5. Washington gets back its old rivals

The Capitals were content playing in the Southeast Division, but the fan base has always wanted the team to join back up with their old Patrick Division foes to create regular-season rivalry games that bleed into intense playoff matchups. The four-conference alignment will do exactly that for the D.C. faithful as their Capitals will be once again be back in the same conference as the Devils, Rangers, Islanders, Flyers and Penguins. Carolina will also be in that grouping. "I think it is a big thing for the Caps and for Caps fans," Patrick said. "This puts us back with a lot of the teams from the old Patrick Division, and for our fans those are still the most popular opponents that we have. We were in favor of it, we like it and we think our fans are really going to enjoy it." 5. NHL.com- Bettman discusses fighting, CTE in remarks at BOG

Corey Masisak

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- In response to questions about the three-part series on former NHL player Derek Boogaard by John Branch in the New York Times, League Commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday it is premature to draw a connection between fighting in hockey and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. Boogaard's brain was analyzed after his May 13 death, and Branch reported the former player had CTE, which can only be diagnosed posthumously. It was the fourth brain of a former NHL player to be analyzed by researchers and confirmed to show signs of CTE. "I think in this whole area there is probably entirely too much speculation and rumors and the like on something that is simply a tragedy," Bettman said, speaking at the conclusion of the NHL Board of Governors meeting. "With respect to what Boston University might find on CTE, they're still looking at a very limited database and in those particular cases there is no control element because you have to look at everything that went on in the person's life before you make a judgment on what a brain may show when you open it up. "So, I think when you look at the fact that the medical community has only been dealing with the issue of concussions in the way that they have for probably the last few decades, and if you look at our history starting in 1997 and we've been across all fronts -- whether it's the study, the working groups, baseline testing, diagnosis and return-to-play protocols, rule changes, the creation of the Department of Player Safety -- we've been doing lots and lots and we'll continue to do lots and lots. But, there are no easy answers yet. And, I think it's unfortunate if people use tragedies to jump to conclusions that probably at this stage aren't supported." Boogaard's death was ruled an accidental mixture of alcohol and oxycodone toxicity. He was the first of three current or former NHL players who died this past summer.

All three players (Boogaard, Wade Belak and Rick Rypien) were considered enforcers -- guys for who fight more frequently than their teammates. The deaths sparked discussion in the media about the role of fighting in the sport, and Branch's report in the Times has intensified that dialogue this week. "Our fans tell us that they like the level of physicality in our game, and for some people it's an issue but it's not as big an issue in terms of fans and people in the game to the extent that other people suggest it is," Bettman said, discussing fighting. "Maybe it is [dangerous] and maybe it's not. You don't know that for a fact and it's something we continue to monitor. The level of concussions from fighting is not rising, it's constant, so it's not an increasing problem. But, it is something we'll continue to monitor. "You know, playing our game, even if it's a legal hit can result in a concussion. We play a very fast-paced, physical game in a closed environment. So, I think people need to take a deep breath and not overreact. It's important to react and it's something we're monitoring closely, so I don't want to be viewed as pollyanna-ish on the subject. And, it's the reason we were the first sports league to have the working study group, to have baseline testing, to have the protocols for diagnosis for return-to-play decisions, to have the protocols now with the quiet room, to have rule changes, to have a Department of Player Safety, to look at equipment and try to reduce it so it's not a weapon. We are being extraordinarily proactive, but there is a gap in the medical science that I think people are focused on and working on. But, it's also not a time for people to make things up or over-conclude when the data isn't there yet." Both Bettman and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly noted in their Tuesday's remarks that players are already penalized -- with, at minimum, a five-minute major -- for fighting in the NHL. Bettman said there is no current sentiment to "warrant a change in the rules." "It really goes to the nature of the penalty, and that's really all the fighting issue is," Daly said. "We can pass all the fighting rules we want, we're not going to totally eliminate fighting from the game. Fighting is going to happen. The question is how is it responded to and what the penalties are for it. And, that's the issue that ultimately has been evaluated over time. The whole instigator rule was implemented at least in connection with the fighting issue. It's something that has been repeatedly monitored and acted on by the Board over time. So, the question becomes do you want to make the next fundamental change in those rules?" 6. NHL.com- Tootoo gets two-game suspension for charge

NHL.com Staff

NEW YORK -- Nashville Predators forward Jordin Tootoo has been suspended, without pay, for two games for charging Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller during NHL Game #379

Saturday night, Dec. 3, in Nashville, the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety announced today. Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and based on his average annual salary, Tootoo will forfeit $13,513.52. The money goes to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund. The incident occurred at 15:54 of the second period. Tootoo was assessed a major penalty for charging and game misconduct on the play. Tootoo will miss games tonight vs. Phoenix and Dec. 8 at Columbus. He will be eligible to return Dec. 10 vs. Anaheim. 7. NHL.com- ASG voting: Fans of Canadian teams showing support

Adam Kimelman

After three weeks of the 2012 NHL All-Star Fan Balloting, the one trend emerging quite clearly is fans of the Canadian teams are very supportive of their own players. Five of the top six forwards, the top two defensemen and the No. 1 goaltender in fan voting through Dec. 5 all play for Canadian teams. Fans can send the first six players (three forwards, two defensemen, one goalie) to the 2012 Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Game in Ottawa. Toronto Maple Leafs forward Phil Kessel, the League's leader in goals and points, remains the League leader in voting with 384,029 votes. He picked up more than 125,000 votes in the past week. Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby, who's had an electrifying return from a 10-month absence due to a concussion, picked up more than 114,000 votes to vault ahead of Ottawa teammates Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza and move from fourth last week among forwards to second. Crosby is the only player from a non-Canadian team to rank among the top-six vote-getters at forward. Alfredsson currently sits third in the voting with 320,100 votes, putting him just more than 32,000 votes ahead of Spezza. Toronto's Joffrey Lupul, Ottawa's Milan Michalek, Philadelphia's Claude Giroux and Chicago's Jonathan Toews round out the top 10. Boston Bruins second-year sensation Tyler Seguin, who leads the team with 13 goals, 25 points and a League-best plus-19 rating, is the leader among write-in candidates, with 86,542 votes, 22nd among all forwards

The Senators' Erik Karlsson leads all League defensemen in scoring with 23 points, and leads all blueliners in All-Star votes with 351,957 -- an increase of more than 95,000 votes from last week. His total is second among all players, trailing only Kessel. Toronto captain Dion Phaneuf is second with 324,031, with Pittsburgh's Kris Letang is third, nearly 47,000 votes behind. Boston's Zdeno Chara and Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom complete the top five. The New York Rangers' Dan Girardi leads among write-in candidates for defensemen, with 59,288, which ranks him 21st overall among blueliners. Toronto goaltender James Reimer, who just returned from an 18-game absence due to concussion-like symptoms, picked up more than 87,000 votes in the past week to jump from third to first among goaltenders. Reimer's 248,412 votes place him just more than 5,000 votes ahead of Boston's Tim Thomas, last week's leader, who has 243,311. Pittsburgh's Marc-Andre Fleury, second last week, sits third, followed by Montreal's Carey Price and Nashville's Pekka Rinne. Chicago's Corey Crawford, with 65,800 votes, is the leading write-in candidate among goaltenders, and second among all write-ins. He's 12th among all goalies. Approximately 12,674,230 votes have been cast to date, a 52-percent increase from the same voting period last year. Fans can vote at vote.nhl.com. Fans will determine the first 6 players chosen to participate in the 2012 Tim Horton's NHL All-Star Game (3 Forwards, 2 Defensemen, 1 Goalie). The virtual poll booth closes on Jan. 4. 8. NHL.com- Ottawa's Karlsson rocking stat sheet and ASG vote

Erin Nicks

Erik Karlsson, just 21, has taken the Ottawa Senators by storm, blossoming into an offensive powerhouse, a veteran defenseman and a leader among his peers this season. None of this comes as a surprise to general manager Bryan Murray. "I expected everything," Murray said. In his third year with the Senators after being selected at No. 15 in the 2008 Entry Draft, Karlsson has taken the next step in having his name mentioned among the upper echelon of NHL defensemen. He currently sits second (tied with Daniel Sedin and Brian Campbell) among all players in assists with 21 and is tied for first place -- again with Campbell -- for points scored by defensemen.

"I think he's one of the top young guys in the League on defense," Murray said. "I think there's some tremendous young players in this League, but I think Erik's among the whole group of them, whether it be on defense or forward." All-Star game voters, it seems, agree with Murray's assessment. Karlsson is the leading vote-getter among defensemen after three weeks of voting, garnering more than 350,000 votes. Overall, his vote total trails only Toronto forward Phil Kessel. With Karlsson already on pace to exceed his career-best 45 points from this past season and a virtual lock for his second-straight All-Star game appearance, it hardly seems presumptuous to label 2011-12 as the Swede's breakout year. Murray believes the time the Swedish youngster has spent with the team -- including its American Hockey League affiliate in Binghamton -- has served him well. "Erik's a maturing player," Murray told NHL.com. "His first year here he was up and down from the minors. Last year he played (and) he was a very important member of our hockey team, and I think as a lot of young players have had happen for them, he's now developed into a better player, a more productive player, and certainly a much more important player for the Ottawa Senators. "He's obviously a young rising star in the National Hockey League. Breakout year? It's probably going to be his best year (to date) if everything stays as is, and he doesn't get injured. It's certainly the best at this point in time." Karlsson himself acknowledges that time in the NHL has been the difference in his game. "I think it's mostly about experience, and obviously I'm two years older," Karlsson told NHL.com. "You play a lot more games; you get used to it. And you know the way a game is played, and you've played against all the guys before. After a while, you figure it out and what you need to do to be successful." Karlsson has also focused on his strength training, giving it special attention during the summer after the Senators failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. "I've been working out; I've worked hard ever since I came here," he said. "It was a long summer for us, so I had a lot of time to work on my body, physically. I may not look much bigger -- I've always been wiry -- but I feel way better. I think for some young guys it takes a few years, but some jump right in. It's unbelievable. If your body isn't healthy and in control, you might lose some of your potential." While the results might not be apparent to the casual eye, Ottawa management has noticed Karlsson's physical changes.

"I think he's stronger and his confidence level is much higher," Murray said. "I think we'll see him grow into something bigger and better as we go forward." The GM has also seen his young star thrive under the tutelage of his new coach, Paul MacLean. "He's getting a lot of minutes," Murray said. "He's getting the opportunity to play most of the power plays, and he's been the offensive catalyst from the back end because Paul knows that he brings that kind of dimension to our team. I think our team has grown under Paul, and Erik in particular." The coach admits to having his hand forced, at least early, by Karlsson's reputation as a budding star. "When I talked to people, they said he was an outstanding skater," MacLean told NHL.com. "That's the one thing he's really done here as a skater, his first step with the puck is outstanding. And my expectation was that I wasn't sure how good he was going to be, but I knew that he could skate. Give him a chance and he'll turn into a special player." Murray was aware he had something special in the Swede, but he also admitted that Karlsson's skating has exceeded his expectations. "I certainly thought he was going to be a good player," Murray said. "His mobility, his speed with the puck, and for a small man he shoots the puck extremely hard. I would say his skating is the most pleasant part of what's happened to him." Murray knew what he was getting with the Karlsson on the ice, but according to the GM, his off-ice attributes are just as appealing, especially his confidence. "I think he thought he could step into the National Hockey League after playing in the Swedish Elite League as a youngster," Murray said. "It took him a little time, but he is that kind of person. He's a very outgoing young man; he's a guy who I think feels like he's been around a little longer than three years. He's also a great teammate and a very positive guy, and when you're productive I think you have that tendency to be that way. "We don't have a lot of carryover on this team -- we've had a lot of changes. So he is one of the important veteran guys, even as a third-year player and at 21 years old. He's one of those guys we count on." As Karlsson's star continues to rise, the Senators will continue to nurture their blue-chip defenseman as they always have, in the hopes that the sky is the limit -- for both his talent and his ability to lead by example. "I'm very proud," Murray said. "And I think Erik's very proud of what he's going to be in this League."

9. TSN.ca- Report: Fleury's lost Stanley Cup ring posted on Craigslist

TSN.ca Staff

It appears Theoren Fleury may get his Stanley Cup ring back after all. Fleury lost his 1989 Stanley Cup ring at last year's Heritage Classic at McMahon Stadium but now, according to the Calgary Sun, the ring is on the Craigslist website with a message that appears to be intended for Fleury. "This item will only be released to a Calgary Flames Stanley Cup winner of 1989 ... you know who you are," read the message on Craigslist. The report indicates Fleury intends to follow up on the posting in hopes of getting the ring back. "We're on it," Fleury wrote in a text to the Calgary Sun. Fleury, who participated in the alumni game before the Heritage Classic, said the ring fell out of his pocket. 10. TSN.ca- Predators' Tootoo suspended two games for hit on Miller

The Canadian Press

NEW YORK - Jordin Tootoo is the first player to be punished under the NHL's crackdown on contact involving goaltenders. The Nashville Predators forward was suspended two games Tuesday following a collision with Buffalo's Ryan Miller on Saturday night. Tootoo was racing hard to the goal and had the puck knocked off his stick before hammering Miller. "The fact remains that it is the attacking player's responsibility to make a better effort not to crash directly into the opposing goaltender," said NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan. "The goaltender must feel protected in his crease." It was an unpunished hit on Miller last month that prompted calls for more goaltender safety. Shanahan elected not to suspend Bruins forward Milan Lucic for a hit on the Sabres goalie outside of his crease on Nov. 12, but heard from general managers afterwards that the majority were in favour of punishing such infractions. In Shanahan's video explaining the Tootoo suspension, he notes that the player looked up and saw Miller before crashing into him and actually made the contact worse by jumping

as he entered the crease. He also noted that Sabres defenceman Christian Ehrhoff had a role in the play. "Although Ehrhoff does make body contact, we did not feel that it was significant enough that it altered Tootoo's path into Ryan Miller," said Shanahan. 11. TSN.ca- Fraser: The players that had me watching in awe

TSN.ca Staff

Kerry, I've heard young players who took a shift with a superstar (Gretzky, Lemieux) say afterwards that they were so in awe that they were watching instead of playing. Ever see something a player did and momentarily forget what your job was? Chris Balthis Columbus, OH Chris: Thank you for your question; one that allows me to reflect on all the great players and jaw dropping, heart stopping plays that I witnessed from close proximity during my 30-year NHL career. Just think of all the great players that I had the honour of skating with on their ice from 1980 to 2010. Fifty-five players I skated with from that period have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame along with 31 in the Builders Category (including coaches) and eight referees or linesmen that I worked with and/or for, have entered the Hall for their outstanding achievements within the game. I was a hockey fan long before I ever became a referee. To this day, I remain a fan of our great game (My wife will also tell you that I have never stopped being a referee around the house or with our children and grandchildren. I'm working on it, however). I can identify with the impressionable rookie you described, Chris, that was in awe or mesmerized by taking a shift with their legendary heroes such as Gretzky, Lemieux, Lafleur, Messier, Bourque, Yzerman, Clarke, Savard (both of them), Bure and so many more that I am unable to list here. Let's not forget the new generation of Crosby, Ovechkin, Stamkos, soon to be followed by a whole cast of superstars in the making and not just in the city of Edmonton alone! The rookie in me never left me when I witnessed exceptional plays. In moments like that the hockey fan in me surfaced and I became just like you; albeit with one major exception. I was always a referee first! I had to multi-task.

There were times when my jaw dropped at witnessing an incredible play from fifteen feet away. I can even recall saying out loud, "Oh my God, I don't believe he just did that!" That is the beauty of our great game. Each of us can recall the special moments that the game has provided for us from our childhood until the next one grabs hold of our heart strings and lifts us out of our chairs in the living room or seats in an NHL building. Each one of us has different heroes; sometimes they can result from our different perspective or role within the game. Big, tough guy Jim McKenzie who played 15 seasons in the NHL with nine different teams, and won a Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils, told me of an unlikely encounter he had the first time he met one of his heroes in an NHL game. McKenzie was mesmerized by one of his heroes as he passed through the hall toward his dressing room when he saw Chris 'Knuckles' Nilan at the tool bench sharpening up one his sticks. So taken at seeing his hero, all McKenzie could do was stop and stare in wide-eyed amazement. Nilan's response of, "What the eff are you staring at you big goof?" caused Jim considerable embarrassment since all of his Harford Whaler teammates were walking alongside. Jim said that his teammates didn't want to talk with him before the game or even sit near him knowing the dire consequences of a riled up Chris Nilan that night. They had yet to see McKenzie drop his gloves and they feared this could lead to either a trip to the infirmary or quick ticket to the minors for their rookie teammate. They didn't want to get too close. Jim said he was so angry and humiliated it only took one shift for the Whaler players to get their answer. The very first shift that he and Nilan played against one another McKenzie went right after his 'former' hero like a buzzsaw and absolutely destroyed Knuckles in the fight. While Chris Nilan might have a different version, there was no holding back from the rookie this night when lining up beside his hero. Jim McKenzie didn't forget his job. The last Panthers game I worked in Florida, the Montreal Canadiens were the guests. My little nine-year-old grandson Harrison was with me at the game. Carey Price was truly outstanding in posting the shutout win. Alex Kovalev scored one of his many highlight-reel goals that were show-stoppers from a player who had hands like a surgeon. It was one if those times that I said aloud, "I don't believe he just did that." Prior to the faceoff at centre ice I approached Alex and gave him what I thought was the greatest compliment I could think of by saying, "Alex, if I ever have open heart surgery I want the knife to be in your hands."

He just grinned a wide grin and said, "Some nights, maybe not!" When the final horn sounded the sea of Habs jerseys in the Sunrise Arena erupted with chants of "Carey, Carey." And little Harrison was ushered into our dressing room and took a seat beside me. He said, "Papa, when the game ended did you hear them chanting your name - Kerry, Kerry!" I smiled, rubbed his head and said, "Harrison, the fans do that in every rink I work in." That's how heroes, memories (and legends) are made. We all have so many great memories acquired from so many great players. Don't ever forget each and every one of them. Check out the chapter entitled "Centre of The Hockey Universe: Toronto Maple Leafs" in my book, The Final Call to feel a rookie referee's excitement about stepping on Maple Leaf Gardens ice for the first time. The Montreal Canadiens were the guests on that Saturday night. It was too long to share here but just one more special memory I will never forget. Thanks for reminding us all, Chris. ---- Now I do need to clarify my position relative to a fair comment posted in yesterday's column from ampinoy13 (below): The fact that your opinion differs from the on-ice officials brings up the reason we MUST have a Shanahan around to mete out justice: the on-ice officials had to rule, bang, right now in real time. You, Kerry, have the advantage Shanahan has. You can run the play back and forth in slow motion. I only wonder if your penalty awards are based on the first 'real time' review of the plays or the 'Shanahan' method of post-play. I demand three basic things of myself in writing this column for you. They are 'Honesty, Fairness and Opinion.' My honest opinion was reported yesterday on the penalty assessment of three situations that I did not agree with based on my experience and judgment gained from making millions of these types of decisions throughout my career. I made mistakes; plenty of them. I'm do not profess to be right all the time, but like the officials on the ice I am confident in stating that we are right most of the time! I take no personal pleasure in providing an opposing view or judgment from one that my former colleagues made in real time. The opposite is actually true as I feel bad for them when I believe errors have been made. To your point, I watch the game and each play that I am asked by you (the reader) to comment on through a referee's eyes. My opinion is most often formed in real time unless the camera angle that you and I are provided doesn't offer a good look. I don't as you have stated, "run the play back and forth in slow motion." (As a matter of fact, my NHL Gamecenter Live doesn't even have that capability and unlike many of you I don't have a 'PVR.' I trust you visit this blog to gain my opinion - whether you agree or not. I will continue to be opinionated in an honest and fair manner.

12. ESPN.com- Bettman steers NHL to 'seismic' change

Scott Burnside

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- Whether or not you hate the new four-conference format adopted by the NHL -- and trust us, there are teams that do silently hate it -- you have to pause and admire commissioner Gary Bettman and his ability to steer the unwieldy ship that is the league. Heading into Monday's meeting of the league's board of governors, there appeared to be significant resistance to the new four-conference plan, especially from Eastern Conference teams who, by and large, preferred the status quo of the current six-division, two-conference setup. They weren't crazy about adding more travel to their season and there were concerns about introducing unfamiliar opponents to the schedule. There was some speculation that the 30 teams might not be able to agree on an alignment package by the end of the two-day meeting. And yet, all of that worry and bluster dissipated like dry leaves on a windy day. In about an hour, the deal was done to undertake what one executive described as a "seismic" change to the game's structure. Why? Because no one builds consensus like Bettman. It may take plenty of arm-twisting, cajoling, sweet-talking and the occasional bullying, but the job gets done. This realignment concept was the plan Bettman favored and, regardless of the fact the league portrayed itself as a kind of dispassionate bystander on the contentious issue, it was the plan he made sure got the 20 votes needed to make it a reality. "We weren't selling and we weren't lobbying, we were informing," Bettman insisted. He was asked how hard he had to "inform" teams, especially those in the Eastern Conference, to get the deal done, but he wouldn't bite. "I went through both proposals and I read out the pros and cons of both, so that may have short-circuited people's desires to say things. Because, in terms of what was good and what was bad, it was kind of laid out there for everybody," Bettman said.

Bettman did point out that he had no reason to do away with the current system. "One of the reasons I had nothing against the existing format is I invented it," Bettman said. He didn't point out that he invented this new system, as well. The commissioner often likes to remind people that he works at the behest of the owners. But over the years he has developed an uncanny ability to synthesize 30 different viewpoints, personalities, needs, dislikes, concerns and desires into one vision for the league. If that vision is as much his as the owners, so be it. "It's typical Gary Bettman," said Toronto GM Brian Burke, who used to work for Bettman as the head of league discipline. "It's like a Chicago election in the '30s. He's got a pretty good idea which way it's going; not that it's fixed but he's got a pretty good sense of where the votes are going to come. "When I worked at the league and people'd say, 'How do you think this is going to go?' we got a good laugh out of that because we already knew how it was going to go most of the time." The Leafs are a good example of how this process unfolded under Bettman. Like many teams in the East, they had no interest in change. Burke acknowledged he was concerned not about the cost of additional travel -- it's been pegged at anywhere between $400,000 and $850,000 -- but about the wear and tear on the players and the impact on the quality of the game. But Burke said Monday he thinks the league's schedule makers will be able to address those concerns, so the Leafs supported the new structure. "It had very strong support and we support it too," he said. "I think it makes sense for our league. I think it helps a couple of partners that really need this." Whether it's simply a matter of Bettman getting what he wants or rather his ability to intuit what will work the best for the most, Monday's performance was admirable in its simplicity. Did everyone get what they wanted? No. But that's not how life works, is it?

"I think the comments from the teams, those who weighed in, people took a thoughtful approach and it wasn't the least bit acrimonious," Winnipeg Jets chairman and governor Mark Chipman said. "I think it was a matter of everybody trying to make their points but I got the sense that people were acting in the best interests of the league and there was a compelling argument that what was agreed to today was in the best interests of everybody. You can't satisfy everybody, everybody knew that going in." A large number of executives who spoke to ESPN.com said they quietly favored a simple swap of the Winnipeg Jets for the Detroit Red Wings or Columbus Blue Jackets. But by moving to a four-conference setup, the league keeps Detroit more or less happy by keeping them in a group of teams that are only one time zone away at the most and cutting their travel to the West Coast. Minnesota, a current Northwest Division resident, is happy because its move in with other Central time zone teams. Pittsburgh and Philadelphia remain happy as they will continue to play each other six times a year. Go on down the list. Is there truly a team that is an obvious loser in this new landscape? This was "as much a global solution as possible," Bettman said. Even lame duck Phoenix, still teetering between making a home in the desert or being ripped up and plunked down somewhere else, is better accommodated with the new system than under the old. "There is flexibility in this format," Bettman acknowledged. "Which is perhaps one of the reasons people were comfortable. We're not planning on any moves, we don't want any moves, but if we find ourselves confronted with one, the way it's set up gives us a little more flexibility." For a guy that gets booed at pretty much every league event -- except in Winnipeg where he is now pretty much a god -- Bettman has proven a knack for avoiding turbulence. He's found new owners when he's needed them, forged a new collective bargaining agreement with a salary cap and now he's found a new alignment for his league. "I think since the lockout [what] we've been able to do as a league from a competitive standpoint with the new CBA, from the business model, I think has been a tremendous thing, and I think you have to look at his leadership as part of that," Pittsburgh president and CEO David Morehouse said.